Exton chamber holds ugly sweater contest

Staff photos by Vinny Tennis
Dee Rogevich, center, won the ugly sweater contest at the second Annual Mingle Bells Bash held by the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce. Placing second was Laurie Kerkering, left, and third place went to Annie Richard, right.

Laurie Kerkering walked into the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce’s second annual Mingle Bells Bash wearing a red sweater that featured a Christmas tree adorned with sequins, a three-dimensional angel made of lace and a black collar that frilled around her neck.

“I’m sporting this lovely sweater that was made in Ecuador by hand, out of wool that I acquired after much searching at the Goodwill in Milford, Del.,” said Kerkering, who came representing Buca di Beppo in West Whiteland.

Kerkering had bought the sweater two years ago for an ugly sweater party, and it was ugly enough to win her second place in the ugly sweater contest at the Mingle Bells Bash.

The first place winner, Dee Rogevich, not only wore the ugliest sweater there but also the most creative.

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“I was very desperate and very busy. I didn’t have one, and I didn’t want to buy one because I didn’t want to own one,” said Rogevich, president of networking group Women in Motion.

So she went into her Christmas decorations and found a string of lights that had 12 balls, each with pictorial representations of the 12 days of Christmas. While Rogevich had never put it on a tree or even knew where it came from, she found a good use for it.

“So I just pinned these all around a sweatshirt that I have from the SPCA with a winter scene,” she said. “I just thought I would go as the 12 Days of Christmas because I always love singing it.”

Third place won the judge’s vote because of its three-dimensional snowmen.

“The snowmen will probably give me nightmares this evening,” said Michele Burkholder, a member of the chamber’s board of directors, when she announced Annie Richard as the third-place winner.

“It’s three-dimensional, so that’s what I like about it,” said Richard. “And it had snowmen, so you could wear it after Christmas as well as at Christmas.”

Several of those with an ugly sweater said they bought it only a few days before the event, but Susan Bell wore one that she has had for 20 years, but hadn’t worn in about 10.

“I used to teach elementary vocal music. If there was a theme we wore it,” said Bell, whose sweater featured large, colorful holiday bells.

Among about 20 attendees at the event, about seven wore an ugly sweater, all of which were women. And while most would not regard the sweaters as a stylish choice, they are trendy, as ugly sweater parties have become popular events during the holidays.